STATE TRACK AND FIELD PRELIMS: TAKING A HARD ROUTE MURAKAMI WINS 1,600-METER HEAT.Byline: MATTHEW KREDELL Staff Writer NORWALK -- Shannon Murakami looked at the numbers and saw the easiest path to a state title in the 800 meters. But she couldn't bring herself to take it. The competitor in her wouldn't allow it. The Saugus distance runner distance runner n. A runner who competes in distance races. decided to focus on the 1,600 meters, choosing to go against perhaps the fiercest field for the event in California history. So far, so good. Murakami won her heat in the state track and field prelims Friday at Cerritos College Cerritos College is a public comprehensive community college founded in 1955 located in Norwalk, California. It was named after Rancho Los Cerritos, a ranch that served prominently in the region in the 19th century. , posting the best qualifying time ever in 4 minutes, 46.03 seconds. ``A lot of people are probably wondering why I chose the 1,600 over the 800,'' Murakami said. ``After last weekend went so poorly, I was disappointed with myself. I didn't run my race. I know I can do better, and I need to prove it to myself and others.'' She hasn't done anything yet. Her time, though a prelims record, almost certainly will not win a state title today. That is because she will have to face defending state champion Annie St. Geme from Corona Corona, city, United States Corona (kərō`nə), city (1990 pop. 76,095), Riverside co., S Calif.; inc. 1896. The city developed as a primary citrus fruit producer and shipping center. There is also light manufacturing. Del Mar Del Mar is the name of several places in the United States of America:
St. Geme leads the nation with her 4:42.10 from last week. Needing to run twice in about 24 hours, many athletes don't go all out at the prelims. Heat winners and the top nine finishers in each event advanced to today's finals. Jeshua Anderson from Taft of Woodland Hills was such a late developer this season that he never had performed on the elite level against statewide competition. He came out Friday and put on the same display he did through the City Section's postseason, running the fastest time of the day in the 300 hurdles with a school-record 36.71. ``Nobody really knows me out here so I tried to come out and bring my name up,'' Anderson said. Area sprinters did what they needed to advance. Jamere Holland of Taft and Rodney Glass from Notre Dame Notre Dame IPA: [nɔtʁ dam] is French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary. In the United States of America, Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks won their heats in the 100 to set up a showdown between the top two finishers in the state last season. Glass also qualified in the 200. Elizabeth Olear from Louisville of Woodland Hills ran a personal best 23.36 in the 200 and an 11.55 in the 100, qualifying first in both. Andrew Steben from St. Francis of La Canada advanced in the pole vault pole vault Track-and-field event consisting of a vault for height over a crossbar with the aid of a long pole. It became a competitive sport in the mid-19th century and was included in the first modern Olympic Games. , making it a step further than last year. Josh Harrison from Rio Mesa of Oxnard, once the state leader in the long jump, went nearly a foot less than his top mark and failed to qualify. Hudson Andrews from Royal of Simi Valley was coming up on the finish line in the 800 when his season ended prematurely. In a battle for second, Andrews was clipped clip 1 v. clipped, clip·ping, clips v.tr. 1. To cut, cut off, or cut out with or as if with shears: clip coupons; clipped three seconds off the record. from behind and fell five meters short of the finish line. He finished last in his heat. matthew.kredell@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Saugus' Shannon Murakami posts the state's fastest 1,600-meter preliminary time. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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